Readin' And Writin'
Production Notes Length: Two Reel Producer: Robert F. McGowan Director: Robert F. McGowan Photography: Art Lloyd Editor: Richard Currier Titles: None Writer: Robert F. McGowan Released: February 2, 1932 Studio: M-G-M Main Cast * Carlena Beard * Donald Haines * Dorothy DeBorba * Kendall McComas * Matthew Beard * Robert Hutchins * Sherwood Bailey Supporting Cast * Harry Bernard - Fruit Vendor * June Marlowe - Miss Crabtree * Lyle Tayo - Brisbane's mother * Mary Wallace - Wheezer's mother * Otto Fries - The Blacksmith The Short Plot: Summer vacation is over and all the kids in Greenpoint are hesitantly returning to school. Among them, Breezy Brisbane is the most hesitant. His loving mother sends him off and tells him to study hard for a good job, but he decides to slack on by and aim lower. He stalls for time by hanging around the local Blacksmith, but then he leans on Brisbane to be a better student as well. When the Blancksmith tells about a miscreant who got himself tossed out of school, Brisbane takes the idea to heart and decides to be as incorrigible as possible to get himself thrown out of school. He sets off a tirade of practical jokes and distractions set to frustrate Miss Crabtree, but when he mocks Sherwood for reading a poem written by his mother, she is more than glad to exile him from school unless he recites the poem as well. Brisbane is more than anxious to be tossed out and leaves with an unsupportive arms-raised triumphant victory. However, once he gets out, he realizes there's just nothing to do but wait for his friends to get out of school. There's no one to attend his club and fishing is so tedious he can't stand it. The whole time, his conscience is bothering him and nagging him to learn the poem. When Breezy finally breaks down and returns to school to apologize, he begs the teacher to not let the other kids ridicule by his reading Sherwood's poem aloud to the class, but that's her punishment for his attitude. As Breezy recites the embarrassing poem verse word-for-word, tears are streaming down his face, for his comeuppence as the other kids laugh at him. Fortunately for Breezy (and not so for everyone else!), Marmalade chases a skunk into the schoolhouse, mistaking it for a cat, causing everyone to run away! Quotes: * "I don't wanna be President, I wanna be a streetcar conductor!" - Breezy Brisbane * “Well, so long, Crabby!" - Breezy Brisbane to Miss Crabtree after being expelled * "Learn that poem. Learn that poem. Learn it. Learn it." - Breezy Brisbane's conscience * "High up grew a daffodil, I couldn’t hardly reach her. Says I to me I think will get it for my teacher. I climbed to get the daffodil out a limb so thin. I tumbled down like Jack and Jill and skinned my little shin, and here’s the pretty daffodil, I brought to my dear teacher. I’m awfully glad to meet you!" - Sherwood's Daffodil poem written by his Mamá, recited by Sherwood and later by Breezy Brisbane (first four lines only). Notes/Trivia: * This was the first short for Kendall McComas. Most sources say that he had just left Mickey McGuire series. However, McComas actually left the series around late 1929 or early 1930. Ironically Shirley Jean Rickert would eventually join this series in 1933 (though some sources mistakenly state that she joined as soon as she left Our Gang). * In this short, Wheezer, Stymie, and Dorothy are seen attending school for the first time, though they previously attended school in Shiver My Timbers. Also, in this short Miss Crabtree does not initially know these three kids. This is another example of how the Our Gang series had no running continuity. * H. M. Walker who created the on-screen titles for the silents continues the tradition of writing dialogue for the kids, particularly in the kid's innocent responses to Miss Crabtree's questions. * Last appearance of Miss Crabtree. Sequence * Previous Short: Dogs Is Dogs * Next Short: Free Eats ---- Category:Talkie Category:1932 Category:School-Related Shorts